Ultrasound of the thyroid gland for a child. How an ultrasound of the thyroid gland is done for children: preparation, conduct, decoding When it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound diagnosis of the thyroid gland in children

The pathology or normal state of the thyroid gland can be assessed by ultrasound. Ultrasound of the thyroid gland for a child is an affordable, absolutely safe and painless method.

Deciphering the results takes a very small amount of time.

In the hospital, babies are given a blood test, checking the level of thyroid hormones. If the level is low, hypothyroidism may develop. It is expressed in loss of appetite, constipation, development of the umbilical roof, yellowing of the skin.

If the disease is not treated, it can lead to the development of mental retardation in a child. In this case, babies may be prescribed thyroid hormones. Adolescents can also be prescribed in such situations.

There is a whole list of reasons why it is necessary to examine the thyroid gland of a child with the help of ultrasound:

• living in areas where environmental emergencies have occurred;
• thyroid disease in close relatives;
• increased emotionality or apathy;
• insomnia or increased sleepiness;
• unreasonable weight loss or gain;
• low or high temperature;
• difficulty swallowing saliva;
• increased or decreased sweating;
• labored breathing;
• poor adaptation to temperature changes;
• tachycardia or bradycardia;
• visual or palpable swelling of the neck;
• trembling fingers.

Important! A malfunctioning thyroid gland can lead to unpleasant consequences, including developmental delay.

How do they do it?

Carrying out the procedure for children is no different from performing an ultrasound in adults. Small patients lie on the couch, the specialist applies a special gel to their neck, which has the function of facilitating the movement of the sensor and increasing the accuracy of the image. The procedure time does not exceed 20 minutes. The doctor immediately deciphers the result and returns it to the patient.

Preparing a child for research

During the examination, the child should be as comfortable as possible. He should not be hungry or thirsty. For the baby, you need to take a diaper, water or milk.

It is important for an older child to explain the painlessness of the procedure and reassure him.

What can be seen: transcript, table

During the examination, the doctor evaluates:

• the volume of the thyroid gland, whether it corresponds to normal indicators;
• density;
• blood flow activity;
• location.

Table of norms in children

Indicators of the normal volume, parameters and size of the thyroid gland in girls and boys aged from one to 15 years:

The interpretation of the obtained results is carried out only by a specialist of the appropriate qualification. The attending physician receives more complete information with the help of ultrasound.

With the help of ultrasound, the doctor can see and make diagnoses such as:

• toxic and nodular goiter;
• hypothyroidism;
• neoplasms and cysts.

Possible contraindications

Indications for the transfer of ultrasound by a doctor may be extensive damage in the neck - burns, inflammatory skin lesions. In other cases, the procedure is completely harmless and painless.

Where to do it and how much does it cost?

Ultrasound of the thyroid gland for children can be performed at any major medical center. Prices for the procedure start from 500 rubles. In Moscow, the average cost is 1200 rubles.

Conclusion

Ultrasound of the thyroid gland in a child is a recognized and common procedure. For children, timely detection of dysfunctions of this organ is especially important, since these problems are fraught with difficult to reverse and serious consequences. If the symptoms described above appear in a child, you should immediately consult a doctor.

For those who are looking for where in Moscow to do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland for children, a good choice would be the children's medical center "Human Health", located in the North-Eastern Administrative Okrug. It is easy to get here from the Bibirevo, Vladykino or Otradnoye metro stations.

Exploration for all ages

Ultrasound examination, or ultrasonography, is a completely safe method of non-invasive diagnostics using ultrasound waves. It is suitable for children of all ages, including the smallest. It has been proven that ultrasonic waves are completely harmless to the human body, so the study can be carried out repeatedly without risk to the health of the baby. The doctor runs a transducer across the gelled skin, and an image appears on the screen. Deciphering the data takes a minimum of time, so the results of the study are ready immediately.

Why is a diagnostic procedure needed?

Ultrasound of the thyroid gland for children is prescribed in the following cases:

• if during a preventive examination the doctor found seals on the child's neck;
• if apathy, drowsiness, fatigue or, conversely, agitation, insomnia, hyperemotionality are observed;
• when living in a region where there is not enough iodine in drinking water;
• with a sharp and unreasonable change in weight;
• with a constant increase or decrease in body temperature;
• if dry skin and hair, brittle nails are noticeable;
• when a child does not adapt well to changes in environmental temperature, he is constantly hot or, conversely, cold;
• with respiratory disorders, shortness of breath;
• if heart rhythm disturbances, bradycardia were detected;
• if the child is at risk, he has a predisposition to thyroid diseases;
• when living in a city with an unfavorable environmental situation.

Such a variety of indications is explained simply: thyroid hormones affect all body systems, especially the nervous one. The development of the child, both mental and physical, depends on how well the endocrine system functions. For this reason, it is important to identify and treat pathologies as early as possible, and at the slightest suspicion, it is recommended to do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland.

Benefits of the procedure

Ultrasound of the thyroid gland is prescribed for children without restrictions: it has no contraindications and is safe. Ultrasound diagnostics does not cause discomfort and does not cause any inconvenience to the child. The method is quite informative. With the help of ultrasound, the doctor will determine:

• organ location;
• its dimensions;
• tissue density;
• blood flow;
• the presence of nodes and neoplasms.

The doctor will check the compliance of the indicators with age norms and make a diagnosis. In some cases, additional may be required.

How and where to do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland for a child

Diagnosis of the thyroid gland does not require preparation: the patient can be brought to the examination at a convenient time, there is also no need to follow a diet. It is advisable to wear clothing that opens the neck so that the doctor can easily reach the examination area. The specialist applies a special gel to the area of ​​​​the thyroid gland (the front surface of the neck), and then leads the sensor over the skin. At the same time, an image is transmitted to the monitor, it can be recorded on electronic or paper media.

The survey does not take long. The specialist interprets what he saw during the diagnostic process, and then draws up a conclusion for the endocrinologist.

Popular questions

Is it possible to do ultrasound for newborns?

Yes, this is a safe technique: ionizing radiation is not used. The study is prescribed without restrictions even to the smallest patients.

How to prepare for research?

An examination of the thyroid gland, unlike ultrasound of the kidneys, bladder or stomach, does not require special preparation.

In the event of any abnormalities in the work of the thyroid gland, it is imperative to conduct an ultrasound examination of it. Anomalies in the functioning of the thyroid gland are associated primarily with:

• lack or excess of iodine in the body;
• the presence of infections;

• damage by toxic substances;
• being in a situation of prolonged stress.

Among the symptoms that oblige an immediate ultrasound of the thyroid gland for a child, one can single out:

• the appearance of a visible increase in the front of the neck, goiter;
• swallowing problems;
• feeling of tightness in the throat;
• deviations in the work of the heart;

• rapid hair loss;
• excessive sweating;
• unreasonable weight gain.

If your child has become lethargic, distracted, apathetic, drowsy, or vice versa - overly emotional, aggressive, irritable - be sure to consult an endocrinologist. After all, these seemingly insignificant symptoms at first glance may indicate abnormalities in the functioning of the thyroid gland. Professional and highly qualified specialists of the clinic "Children's Center" on Presnya will provide you with complete information about the problems of the thyroid gland and help you navigate the symptoms of the disease.

Preparation

If for adults, ultrasound does not require special training, then for children it is simply necessary. Firstly, a positive attitude towards a visit to the doctor in general is very important. After all, if your child, at your suggestion, is afraid of all health workers, then in the future any visit to the doctor will turn into torture for him.

Secondly, try to tell the child in an accessible form what will happen during the procedure. And yet, in order to avoid the appearance of a gag reflex during an ultrasound examination, it is better not to feed the child immediately before the event itself.

When preparing a child for an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, please note that at the Children's Center clinic on Presnya:

• modern ultrasound machine;
• experienced professionals;

• recording at a convenient time for you;
• optimal price of the procedure

A pediatrician issues a referral for an ultrasound scan of the thyroid gland in a child. Often parents are not even aware of the need for a detailed examination of the endocrine system of their child.

Important. In the initial stages, many pathologies are almost asymptomatic, which makes it difficult to diagnose them early.

It is necessary to pay attention to such signs that may become indications for ultrasound of the thyroid gland:

• weakness, apathy, drowsiness;
• excessive activity, irritability;
• causeless fluctuations in body temperature;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• swelling of the neck;
• difficulty in swallowing;
• asthma attacks;
• unexplained weight loss or gain.

Weakness and apathy are possible signs of hypothyroidism

It is also necessary to visit an endocrinologist if there is a hereditary tendency to diseases of this system or if you live in an area with unfavorable environmental conditions.

Disturbances in the work of the thyroid gland can lead to adverse consequences, including a delay in the development of the child.

Remember. It is extremely rare that oncological processes develop in the organ, but even a benign tumor can cause complications: hormonal imbalance, heart failure, and suffocation.

What is a thyroid ultrasound

Performing an ultrasound of the thyroid gland in children is essentially no different from a similar procedure in adults. To make it easier for the doctor to establish a diagnosis, it is first necessary to undergo a set of basic studies, including donating blood. Analyzes for young children often become a much greater test than an ultrasound examination.

Preparation

Any medical procedure has its own procedure for preparing for its implementation. With regard to ultrasound examination, the specific requirements depend on the examination area. Preparation for ultrasound of the thyroid gland in a child does not provide for any specific measures.

In order for the baby to feel comfortable during the examination, you need to take care of the following:

• Explain to the child that the procedure is completely safe and painless. It is important to eliminate psychological discomfort and fear of doctors.
• A few hours before the visit to the hospital, you need to feed the child so that the food has time to be digested. This will relieve him of the feeling of hunger and reduce the risk of a gag reflex when pressing on the larynx.
• You need to bring water to drink with you, as well as a bedding for the couch, for example, a towel or a pharmacy disposable diaper.

Examination procedure

The very ultrasound of the thyroid gland to the child is carried out by an endocrinologist or an ultrasound diagnostician. A gel is applied to the baby's neck, and the head of the apparatus is passed over the area where the thyroid gland is located. It takes no more than 10-15 minutes to examine the structure of tissues and identify deviations.

The organ itself and surrounding tissues, including arteries, are visible on the screen.

Note. The standard technique involves the use of a black and white contrast image. For a more detailed study of the blood supply to tissues, a color Doppler scan is additionally performed.

Deciphering the results

The conclusion about the diagnosis is issued after all the necessary ancillary studies have been carried out, as well as the analysis of the data obtained during the ultrasound examination. Deciphering the ultrasound of the thyroid gland of children is carried out according to the standard procedure - basic indicators are evaluated.

What indicators are evaluated by ultrasound

In order to determine the state of the thyroid gland, the following indicators are considered:

• Structure - is determined by the degree of uniformity and density, which demonstrates the level of tissue echogenicity.
• The sizes of the shares and the organ as a whole - both linear parameters and volume are taken into account.
• The boundaries of the shares - normally they are quite clear and even.
• Blood supply - color Doppler imaging is required, showing the location of blood vessels and the degree of blood saturation of individual parts of the organ.

Below is a table with the norms of ultrasound of the thyroid gland in children:

Normal size of the thyroid gland in children under 15 years of age.

Important. Additionally, the adjacent tissues of the larynx, as well as the lymph nodes, are examined.

Signs of pathology

It is quite possible to notice even small deviations in the structure of the gland, provided that the examination is carried out by a qualified specialist. Possible signs of pathology:

• an increase in the volume of the organ, which indicates tissue hyperplasia or a tumor;
• change in the level of echogenicity of individual areas (cysts, tumors, nodes);
• highlighting clear boundaries of nodes or, conversely, blurring the boundaries of formations;
• changes in the structure of the lymph nodes, their increase;
• detection of calcifications (may indicate cancer).

If the decoding of an ultrasound of the thyroid gland in a child revealed any deviations, additional studies may be required to clarify the situation. In particular, in the presence of nodes more than 1-3 cm, a puncture biopsy is used to determine the nature of changes in tissues and to diagnose oncology in a timely manner.

In general, the ultrasound procedure is completely safe for children of any age, so it can be performed repeatedly if necessary. Timely diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.

Pathologies of the thyroid gland are also caused by an infection that has affected neighboring organs. The cause of diseases can also be stressful situations and toxic substances. These include mercury, benzene and nitrates.

Indications

Thanks to ultrasound scanning, it is possible to carry out a differential diagnosis of various diseases, as well as perform a number of manipulations with a therapeutic purpose. For example, a puncture biopsy. In some cases, an ultrasound of the thyroid gland is necessary for the child before the operation. Other indications for this diagnostic study:

• detection by a pediatrician of seals on the baby's neck during a preventive examination;
• sudden changes in weight in a short period of time;
• the appearance of shortness of breath, difficulty breathing;
• arrhythmia;
• genetic predisposition to pathologies of the endocrine system;
• living in a region with a low iodine content;
• bad ecology;
• the transfer of serious diseases that could cause complications.

Since there are quite a few indications for a diagnostic study, it is necessary to contact a pediatrician or endocrinologist when the first signs of pathology appear. In addition, doctors recommend regularly undergoing preventive examinations, with which you can track malfunctions in the endocrine system. The difference between ultrasound of the thyroid gland in a child and ultrasound examinations of other organs is that a small patient does not need special preparation.

The procedure goes as follows:

• The baby is placed on his back on a special medical couch.
• The gel is applied to the surface of the neck.
• Using an ultrasound probe, the thyroid gland is examined.

All information obtained as a result of the study is visualized on the screen. After that, the doctor examines the parameters and enters them in conclusion, while attaching a detailed decoding of the values. In some medical institutions, if necessary, images can be printed or saved to electronic media.